


oblivious

by manhattans_here



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: 'do they.... u kno.. go to the races together??', I wrote this impulsively, M/M, but i love him and so does finch, finch needs a break from liking dumbasses, got the idea at school, race is.............. race., romeo knows all, tommy's a dumbass
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:55:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29613231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manhattans_here/pseuds/manhattans_here
Summary: through all the chatter, finch was hardly participating on any conversation going on around him, really focused on just one thing.one thing that was currently sitting across him, trying to drink water through five different straws. He chuckled to himself, this is what his problems revolved around. for fuck’s sake.
Relationships: Albert DaSilva/Racetrack Higgins, Finch/Tommy Boy (Newsies), Minor or Background Relationship(s), VERY background but implied, cause likeee this is my writing. of course there's ralbert.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	oblivious

The thing with getting an arrow shot through your heart was, once you remove it, it starts to bleed.

That’s the thought that made Finch chuckle to himself as he walked in the common room of the lodging house, seeing most of the older boys huddled around a small round table, playing some card game, as they usually did on their Saturday nights. Any moment now Kloppman would probably come to tell them to sleep, not that that’s even interrupted their games before. He smiled, the atmosphere felt familiar. Albert was hollering with laughter as Race loudly protested against whoever had just managed to get ahead of him, Mush was attempting to prevent a fight between Blink and Sniper and Tommy Boy was nearly dozing off, head laid on the table.

Tommy Boy. Finch rarely even caught feelings, sure he found people attractive before, he knew when he appreciated someone’s company, but not like this. It’s never been this way before. With Tommy, he was certain of what he felt. It was there, and it was real and he felt every bit of it. The problem? Tommy didn’t. He never even got close to realizing, and he wasn’t about to call him stupid, never, but holy _shit_ that boy was oblivious. He watched as his eyelids slowly slid over his eyes and made his way to the table, dragging him by the bicep.

“Alright, sleepy, let’s get you upstairs, huh?”

Tommy’s eyes lit up at the sight of him and he wrapped his arms around his torso. “Finchy!” He giggled.

Finch raised an eyebrow at his behavior, he seemed… loopier than usual? “Shit, are ya _drunk_? Is he drunk?”

“Uh oh, someone’s in trouble.” Race grinned, leaning against the table.

Specs rolled his eyes. “It’s you, idiot, you’s in trouble. Race and Tommy decided to swipe a bottle of whiskey or two and get themselves drunk before they even finished selling.”

“What a buncha idiots.” Race murmured, now absentmindedly staring at nothing.

“Yeah, yeah, bet they’s real stupid.” Finch smirked. “You, upstairs, Ya needs rest.” He put one arm around Tommy Boy’s shoulders, supporting him while they (very slowly and clumsily, but nevertheless) made their way up the stairs.

“Y’know, Finchy, you’s real nice, helpin’ me and all.” Tommy slurred, clinging onto him as Finch tried to lead him to his bunk.

“Sure I is, here, lay down.” Finch brushed his incoherent mumbles aside and helped get him into the bed.

“But I’se on the upstairs!” He frowned.

“Oh, yeah, sure try to get yourself on the top bunk, I ain’t helping you with that.”

Tommy stared at him for a second, fair enough. He probably couldn’t get himself up there with Finch’s help either, if we’re being honest. “ ‘Least stay ‘ere wi’ me.”

Finch was taken aback for a second. “Huh?”

“Stay here wi’ me, Finchy you’s nice ‘n you cares fo’ me and I likes ya.” Tommy smiled at him.

Finch cleared his throat awkwardly, internally cursing himself. “How ‘bout ya tells me about this tomorrow?” He smiled satisfied when Tommy nodded, curling into the thin blanket.

“Good. Get some sleep, ya needs it.”

“G’night, Finchy.” Tommy murmured, and soon enough he was out like a light.

The next day went as normal for the most part. Tommy had joined Finch for selling, as he would occasionally, and although he knew Tommy probably wouldn’t catch on anyways, he found himself being slightly more cautious with what he said, how he acted. What if he got carried away, what if he and Tommy weren’t as close as he thought they were? He felt comfortable around him, sure, and he tried to show that but what if it wasn’t that deep to Tommy? He was like that with everyone, right? He was a friendly guy.

Finch hated that he had to figure this out.

He’d lost Tommy about ten minutes ago, he’d finished selling early and headed off with some other newsies. Finch himself had just sold his last one and was heading to the deli with Romeo, who was going off about some bet he’d made with Racetrack that was apparently ‘totally unfair’, although he wasn’t quite listening anymore.

“-cause he said ‘the last pape’ but then he got himelf five less! Now that ain’t fair, right? Said ‘we didn’t specify’, but I thinks that goes without saying, right?”

“Yeah, no, you’s right.” He replied, half-listening to his rant. “Hey, have you seen Tommy anywhere?”

“Thought he was with you.” Romeo looked at him curiously.

“No, he was, until he sold his papes. He left with some of the guys.”

“Probably at Jacobi’s, we’ll see him there, right?” Romeo said, then smirked. “Bet ya wants to see him, huh?”

“What’s that supposed ta mean?” Finch looked at him, alarmed.

“Oh, nothing.” He said, shrugging it away. He shot Finch a knowing look, which he decided to ignore. “Just thought you two would like to chat.”

“Sure.”

They continued walking until they reached Jacobi’s, where Tommy was, in fact, sat on a table with Race, Albert and Henry, laughing at something one of them had said. Finch felt his chest tighten. This was no big deal, right? Nothing has changed between them. He and Romeo took their seats with them and soon, more and more newsies walked into the deli until the place was crowded with tired, sweaty, teenagers making use of many things that served as chairs but definitely weren’t. Through all the chatter, Finch was hardly participating on any conversation going on around him, really focused on just one thing.

One thing that was currently sitting across him, trying to drink water through five different straws. He chuckled to himself, this is what his problems revolved around. For fuck’s sake.

Soon enough, the deli had cleared, many of them retreating to the lodging house to get some rest before they had to get in line for the afternoon paper. Race and Albert had ran off together, god knows what they were planning on this time, leaving Finch and Tommy as the last two people on the table.

Tommy was the first one to speak. “You’s quiet today.”

“I guess.” Finch sighed, switching seats so he was next to Tommy. “Thinkin’ “

“ ‘Bout what?” Tommy smiled at him. Goddammit.

“Uh, stuff. No one cares, doesn’t matter.”

“Course it matters, Finch, what’re you talking about?” He tilted his head. “You’s always there for me, I likes… I likes listening to ya.” He seemed to cower out of whatever he was originally planning on saying as he went on, but Finch didn’t think about it any further. “Thanks for helpin’ me, by the way. Last night.”

“Hey, of course. You’d have knocked yourself dead otherwise.” Finch laughed. He looked at Tommy for a second, contemplating his choices. “Hey, ya wants to maybe, uh, go to the races tomorrow?”

“What, like Race and Albert go?”

“…Yeah, like Race and Albert go.” Finch said, hoping he’d catch on. “Like, together.” He added.

Tommy’s eyes widened, Finch nearly holding his breath for a second before his face broke into a huge grin. “Yes I’d loves to go with ya.” He answered, and Finch felt himself smile too. “I’ll see ya.”

He got up, and after he pressed a kiss to Finch’s cheek, he was gone. Finch stared at the door for a second blinking slowly. _Huh_. That went better than he’d expected. He waved Jacobi goodbye and grinned as he made his way back to the lodge, a slight skip to his step. Word got around quickly between the newsies, which is why he wasn’t surprised when a few of the boys hollered at him as he walked in. He didn’t care, he brushed it aside and took his seat next to Romeo, quietly humming to himself.

“Asked him?”

“Might have.”


End file.
